Cruise control systems are already known wherein a pregiven desired speed can be incremented or decremented by a fixed pregiven value by actuating an operator-controlled element. If the vehicle is in a state in which the pregiven desired speed is to be maintained for an active cruise control system, the driver can, with a one-time actuation of the operator-controlled element in a first direction, increment the pregiven desired speed by a fixed pregiven value, for example, 2 km/h. The operator-controlled element is configured, for example, as a steering column lever. With a one-time actuation of the steering column lever in a second direction, the pregiven desired speed can be correspondingly decremented by the fixed pregiven value. At low vehicle speeds, this fixedly pregiven value for incrementing or decrementing the pregiven desired speed is fully adequate. At high speeds, such as greater than 100 km/h, the driver must actuate the steering column lever repeatedly for a clear increase of the desired speed. If, for example, when driving on an expressway, an increase of the pregiven desired speed by 20 km/h is wanted by the driver, then the driver must move the steering column lever 10 times in the first direction in order to realize this increase when a fixed increment value of 2 km/h is pregiven.